Final Fantasy VII: Sephiroth's Betrayal
by big bang blast
Summary: Short story that is about Sephiroth's Betrayal at Nibelheim. Story will be rated T for suggestive themes and violence.
1. Arrival at Nibelheim

**I'm am so very sorry for not updating sooner, but schoolwork has kept me from doing anything other than, well, work. I made this because I have recently gotten into the Final Fantasy series and made it up to the part where Cloud is retelling his past. I know that Cloud is really doing the part that he actually believes, but whatever.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Final Fantasy franchise or Square Enix (Squaresoft).**

Final Fantasy VII: Sephiroth's Betrayal

Chapter 1: Arrival at Nibelheim

"How's it going Sephiroth?" Zack Fair asked his SOLDIER comrade.

"Just fine Fair," Sephiroth replied.

Sephiroth was a tall man with long, white hair. He wore black robes with grey armor under it. His weapon of choice was a Masamune, a longsword. Zack was a little shorter than Sephiroth with black spiky hair. He wore dark blue clothes with grey padding on his shoulders. He carried the Buster Sword that was attached to his back by a magnet. Both were 1st Class SOLDIER's of the organization Shin-Ra.

"Where are we headed to again?" Zack asked.

"My hometown, Nibelheim," Cloud Strife answered for him.

Cloud was the youngest member in the van, at the age of 16. He carried the Hardege Sword and wore the standard Shin-Ra infantryman outfit, complete with helmet.

"What's it like?" Sephiroth wondered. "I'm curious to know."

Cloud opened his mouth to explain, when the van lurched forward, launching Zack, Cloud, and Sephiroth against the wall. Cloud held his hand to his head.

"What happened?" he asked the driver.

The driver didn't answer, as he was transfixed on something outside.

"We must leave now," Sephiroth said.

The three jumped out of the back of the van, just as it was crushed by a monstrous green foot.

"What is that?" Cloud asked.

"It's a dragon," Zack stated, seizing the Buster Sword off of his back.

Cloud had no time to admire it as he was swept aside by it's huge claws. Cloud hit the side of the mountain and was knocked unconscious. Sephiroth used this as an opening to attack the monster with his Firaga materia. A giant Fireball the size of the van formed in front of Sephiroth's hand. Sephiroth then shot it at the dragon, knocking it back a few feet, but it was still ready to go. The dragon launched his own stream of fire that was blocked by Zack using the Buster Sword. He dashed forward and slashed at the monster's feet.

"RAAAAWWWRRR!" the monster screeched in pain.

Sephiroth jumped and the air and stabbed it in both of it's eyes before falling back to the ground, increasing the pain that it had already felt. Falling on it's back, Zack finished it off by plunging his broadsword deep within it's skull, instantly killing it. They had no time to rest as they remembered Cloud's critical condition.

"Cloud, CLOUD!" Zack shouted when he didn't receive a response.

"Move," Sephiroth commanded, which Zack heeded.

He placed his hand above Cloud's unmoving body and using the new materia that he had received.

"Curaga," he said.

Green, healing light flowed out of his hand and washed over Cloud, healing his wounds and saving his life.

"What are we going to do now?" Zack asked.

"Continue on," Sephiroth stated. "But we need to bring young Cloud too. We can't leave a soldier behind."

"Then I'll carry him," Zack said.

He picked up Cloud and slung him over his shoulder.

"All ready to leave?" Sephiroth asked him.

"Yeah," Zack said.

_In Cloud's mind... (Flashback takes place two years before they return to Nibelheim)_

"What happened," Cloud asked.

"You got yourself beaten up again, thats what happened," his childhood friend said.

"It wasn't my fault Tifa," Cloud retorted. "He was asking for it!"

"And as a result, you got your butt kicked!" Tifa yelled back.

Cloud rubbed the wound on his forehead, not really feeling like arguing with Tifa at the moment.

"Well for what it's worth, I'm sorry," Cloud said.

Tifa just sighed. "I worry about you Cloud. You're always getting into fights, and just end up worse and worse every time."

"I know Tifa," Cloud replied.

"Promise me you won't fight anymore?" Tifa said.

"Promise," Cloud said back. "And there's something that I want to tell you."

"What is it?" Tifa asked.

"I can't tell you now," Cloud stated. "Other people might hear. Meet at the water tower at midnight."

Tifa blushed. It was well known that the water tower was a popular date spot in Nibelheim.

"O-ok," Tifa stuttered.

She then ran home, getting herself ready for her "date" at the water tower.

At the water tower...

"Cloud!" Tifa called for him. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here," Cloud said behind him. "You look nice."

Tifa giggled nervously. "So what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"I'm leaving the town," he said. "And I don't know when I'm coming back."

Tifa Lockhart was shocked. All the dreams of her Cloud settling down and having children were crushed.

"But why?" she asked.

"I'm becoming a SOLDIER in Shin-Ra," he said.

"But you can't go!" Tifa yelled. "What about your mom?"

Cloud sighed. "I've already told her about my plans and she accepted it."

Tifa decided that she had to as well. "Well...I won't try and stop you."

"I'm going to become a hero just like Sephiroth," Cloud said. "And I'll come back someday."

"Ok," Tifa said. "But promise me one thing."

She walked closer to Cloud as she said.

"Promise that when you become a hero, come and save me whenever I need you to," she said.

Cloud didn't answer for a second, thinking it over. "Sure."

He began to leave, but Tifa called him again.

"I need to tell you something also!" Tifa called out to him.

He turned around and walked back to her, stopping a few inches away from her. He had a feeling about what she was going to tell him, so he stopped her, putting a finger to her lips.

"Words aren't the only way to express your feelings," Cloud whispered.

They both leaned in to kiss each other when...

"Tifa, where are you?" her father called.

They stopped, millimeters from touching.

"I guess I have to go," Tifa muttered.

"Goodbye Tifa," Cloud said.

"Goodbye Cloud," Tifa said.

_End Flashback_

Cloud woke up on Zack's back. His eyes quickly adjusted the bright light that was the sun.

"Where are we?" he asked.

Zack chuckled. "I thought that you would know, after all, we are in Nibelheim!"

**And so it ends. This story is going to pretty quick, about two or three parts. Come back tomorrow for the next chapter. Remember to continue reading and don't to forget to review! I really want to see what you guys think about this story, and my writing in general.**


	2. The Beginning of Sephiroth's Insanity

**And here we are with the next chapter. This chapter is basically a filler to explain what happens in the next chapter, so yes. This is a three parter. Enough with all of us this bold lettering though. Let's get on with it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Final Fantasy franchise or Square Enix (Squaresoft).**

Chapter 2: Sephiroth's Insanity

"When did we get here?" Cloud asked Zack.

"A couple minutes ago," Zack replied. "You wouldn't have missed it if you hadn't gotten knocked out!"

"Hmf," Cloud grumbled.

Zack chuckled slightly. But then his face went back to seriousness.

"So Sephiroth," Zack started. "Who's the tour guide that Shin-Ra hired for us?"

Sephiroth looked through the papers that he had received for the mission.

"Says here that a young girl about the age of 16 will be our guide," he read.

Cloud's heart skipped a beat. Could it be who he thought it was...

"She's a good martial artist," Sephiroth continued. "Her name is Tifa Lockhart."

"I wonder when she started fighting," Cloud said to himself.

"Where did it say to meet her?" Zack asked.

"By the old Shin-Ra mansion," Sephiroth stated.

Cloud took this as a chance to prove his usefulness.

"I can show where that is!" Cloud proclaimed, hopping off Zack's shoulder. "Just follow me!"

He rushed off in the direction of the mansion while Sephiroth and Zack just shook their heads.

"It's always the new ones with the most enthusiasm," Sephiroth sighed.

They followed after him soon after. They made it to the mansion in almost no time at all. The mansion was like most other one's that existed, with the only noticeable difference being the Shin-Ra logo on the black gate.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" a feminine voice called out from behind the trio.

Cloud recognized that voice anywhere.

"Thats our tour guide," Cloud whispered.

"So that's Tifa," Sephiroth said.

"She's kind of cute," Zack told them.

"Lay off man," Cloud said back.

"Ok, man," Zack said. "Just calm down."

Tifa stopped in front of them, extending her hand in a gesture of friendship.

"Hi! My name is Tifa Lockhart!" she said.

"I am Sephiroth," Sephiroth said, shaking her hand.

"I'm Zack Fair," Zack said. "And I'm totally available."

Cloud elbowed him the ribs. Hard. Zack gave him the evil eye, both Cloud only shrugged it off.

"And who are you?" Tifa asked Cloud.

"Uh, my name's...uh," Cloud stuttered. He had forgotten that his SOLDIER helmet was still on, so she probably didn't know who he was. "It's...um..."

"Not really important right now," Sephiroth stated, saving Cloud. "We need you to direct us to the old Mako Reactor here."

"Sure, just follow me, and don't get left behind," Tifa smiled.

She led the way up to mountain path and through the caves. While doing this, Zack slow down so that he walking beside Cloud.

"You could have told me about her," Zack said.

"Told you what?" Cloud asked. "What else is there to know?"

"About how good looking she was. And about her bust."

BANG!

Zack didn't know what hit him. His face hit the ground faster than a tornado. Cloud was blushing furiously, but at least he had a mask on to cover it. Sephiroth chuckled nervously at the scene while Tifa had busted out laughing.

"I didn't think that the infantrymen were so strong," she said. She tried to stop laughing, but was failing horribly.

"Enough back there!" Sephiroth commanded. "We need to get going!"

"Yes sir," Cloud replied.

"Whatever," Zack said, still on the ground and in a daze.

They made it up to the reactor after a while. Zack and Cloud took it as a chance to take a quick rest after all of the walking that they did. Sephiroth continued to stand. Tifa did the same.

"Why are you two so tired?" Tifa questioned. "I'm the one that had to get you here! Even Sephiroth isn't sitting down!"

"It doesn't matter though," Sephiroth told her. "The only thing that I ask of you now is that you stay here."

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "But why?"

"There's secret Shin-Ra stuff in these that cannot be seen by anybody else," Zack stated, walking up behind Sephiroth.

"Who's going to make me stay here?" Tifa asked.

"I am," Cloud said.

"Fine," Tifa said. "But only because I want to."

Zack grinned. "Well come on Sephiroth. We've got work to do."

And with that, Zack and Sephiroth proceeded to enter the abandoned reactor.

"Why is it so dark here?" Zack asked.

"It's abandoned for a reason," Sephiroth answered.

The two explored some before Zack came up with a conclusion.

"What we're looking for must be in one of these glowing tanks!" Zack said.

"You could be right," Sephiroth stated. "But there's only one way to know."

Sephiroth and walked up to one and looked inside the little window on the tank, only to discover...

"AAAAAAHHHH!" Sephiroth screamed in horror.

"What is it Sephiroth?" Zack asked.

When Sephiroth didn't answer, Zack took it upon himself to figure out what was in the tank. What he found was not pleasant. It was a grey humanlike being floating in the pool of Mako. But it did not look like any human that Zack had seen before. It had sharp teeth that hung out of it's mouth. It also had two small distinctive horns on its forehead.

"What is that thing?" Zack inquired.

"Its a Makonoid," Sephiroth answered. "It's what happens when people are overdosed with Mako and are subjects to Mako poisoning."

"How could Shin-Ra do something like this?" Zack wondered, horrified.

"Created using Jenova cells..." Sephiroth read aloud.

"What are you reading Sephiroth?" Zack asked.

"My mother's name was Jenova..." Sephiroth trailed off. "How do I know this is what I really am."

Before Zack had the chanced to answer, Sephiroth had drawn his Masamune and had begun striking the tank. The strikes were fierce and deadly. Zack could clearly see the anger in Sephiroth's eyes as he continued attacking the tank.

"Hya! Hya! Hya!" he continued screaming in seething fury. "AGGGGGHHHH!"

With Cloud and Tifa...

Cloud and Tifa were just relaxing on the steps of the reactor.

"So who are you really under the mask?" Tifa asked.

"It's not important," Cloud said.

"Of course it is," Tifa insisted. "Names are one of the things that keep us different from everybody else."

"You wouldn't understand," Cloud said. "You're not just a regular foot soldier."

"I probably wouldn't understand," Tifa said. "But at least let me see what you look like under the mask."

She reached for it when Sephiroth's scream was heard from the reactor. They both immediately stood up to get ready for a possible oncoming danger.

"What's going on in there?" Tifa asked.

"I don't know, and I'm sure I don't want to find out!" Cloud said.

All of sudden, the horrible screams stopped. Moments later, Zack and Sephiroth walked out of the doors calmly, as if nothing had happened. Cloud ran up to them and Tifa followed suit.

"What happened in there?" Cloud asked.

Zack shrugged.

"Let me be alone," Sephiroth said dully.

"But-"

"I said leave me alone!" Sephiroth commanded.

Tifa hung her head low. "Ok."

They made their way back to the town slowly and in silence. They made it up to mansion and began to part ties for the night.

"I'm going up to the old Shin-Ra mansion," Sephiroth told them. "There are some things that I must know."

Sephiroth then walked in the direction of the doors and entered.

"I'll go find an inn to sleep," Zack said, heading off his own way.

Finally, all that was left was Tifa and Cloud.

"I guess that I'll see you tomorrow," Tifa said, beginning to depart.

"Wait!" he called.

Tifa turned around. "What is it?"

"I don't really have a place to stay," Cloud said, embarrassed.

"I don't know," Tifa said. "My dad is mostly like going to say no if anyone else tries to stay over."

"Please!" Cloud pleaded. "Staying out on the streets is going to make Shin-Ra look bad. I really need a place to stay!"

Tifa sighed in defeat. "Okay. I'll try to work something out with him."

"Thanks," Cloud said.

He followed her back to her house, which wasn't very far away. When they made it to the house, there was a note attached to the door.

"Went out drinking, be back later. Signed-Dad," Tifa read. "Guess that means that we'll have the house all to ourselves."

She unlocked the door to her house and showed Cloud where he would stay.

"And if you try anything while I sleep, you're going to wish that you had never been born!" she threatened.

"Okay," Cloud responded.

He found some sheets to keep him warm and he quickly dozed off, thinking about Tifa. He woke up about two hours later to a kind of burning smell. He was quickly awake. He dashed out of the house, forgetting to check on Tifa.

"What's going on?" Cloud asked aloud.

He looked around for clues to see who could have caused it. He turned up to the mansion to see some villagers attacking something. They were quickly cut down by a long sword. The sword looked similar to a sword that was owned by someone that Cloud knew well. He studied the scene more to find that the figure was none other than...

"Sephiroth!"

**And another semi-decent ending from me. I really try to keep everyone in suspense, but if you already played the game, it doesn't really help. Also, I know that some parts were cut out and some were added, but this was due to time constraints. If I wasn't trying to do this on a schedule, then I would have added them. It's bad enough that I'm behind by a day. If I wasn't lazy, you guys would have had the ending today or tomorrow, not Saturday or Sunday or even later. Anyways, I'd really appreciate you guys leaving a review and continuing to read the story and check out my other ones. Until then, peace.**


	3. The Finale

**You guys know the drill. Since this one is late anyway, I'm gonna go straight to it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Square Enix (Squaresoft) or Final Fantasy.**

Chapter 3: The Finale

Sephiroth slowly made his way through the reactor. He wanted to relish the moment that he and his mother would be able to strike back against the planet.

"I thought I saw Sephiroth go in here," Zack said to himself.

He hoped that he wasn't wrong. He didn't have time to be wrong. Entering the cave, Zack tried to find Sephiroth.

With Tifa...

"Dad!" Tifa called out. "Dad! Where are you?"

Tifa had not seen her dad in the father in the roaring fire that was Nibelheim and refused to believe that he had perished in the flames of the small town. Tifa looked around, hoping to spot at least a single clue that would help her find her missing father. She saw a figure that looked like he was impaled stumble off in the direction of the old reactor. He didn't make it very far and fell over, struggling to stand, but giving up soon after.

Tifa ran over to the man and turned him on his side. She was shocked to discover that his dying man was her father.

"Dad! Dad!" she screamed desperately. "You're not going to die! Come on! Get up!"

"Tifa...is that you?" he asked weakly.

"Yes," Tifa sobbed. "Its me."

"Good, I wanted to see you again before I..."

"You're not going to die!" Tifa exclaimed. "You can make it, I know you can!"

"No, its too late for me," he said.

"Who did this to you?" Tifa inquired.

Tifa's dad strained, as if remembering was painful. "It was the one with the black robe and long white hair. I think his name was Sephiroth."

Tifa sat in stunned silence for a few moments before her dad's struggle to breathe brought her back to reality.

"I'm about to go Tifa," he said. "Do me a favor. Meet a nice guy and have grandkids for me. And if you ever meet him again, tell your blond friend that I'm...sorry..."

With that, Tifa's dad stopped dying. Tifa mourned over him for a few minutes, before picking up her head and wiping the tears off of her face.

"So you said that Sephiroth did this to you," she mumbled.

"Shin-Ra, SOLDIER, I hate them all!" she yelled.

She pulled the sword out of her dead father's back. She then ran off towards the abandoned reactor, figuring that Sephiroth would be there.

Sephiroth was at the door when he heard footsteps near the entrance to the reactor.

"So you're the one who killed my father," Tifa said.

"You mean that weakling excuse for a human being," Sephiroth stated. "You should be thankful for that. He was just another person adding to the surplus population."

"Shut up you bastard!"

As Tifa approached Sephiroth, he grabbed the sword and hoisted it into the air, with her still clinging to it. She tried to make him let go by shaking it off, but to no avail. Sephiroth flicked the blade quickly, throwing her to the ground. She got back up and entered her fighting stance. She launched attack after attack at Sephiroth, but not one connected. Sephiroth had dodged all of them. He raised his sword a little and swung. It was fast, too fast. All Tifa felt was wind, and then blood flying out of her stomach.

Tifa flew back a short distance and lay there, struggling.

"Know your place worm," Sephiroth sneered.

He turned back and opened the door at the end of the staircase. Sephiroth slowly approached what looked like a robotic humanoid with wings that were attached to cables on the ceiling.

"Stop Sephiroth!" Zack demanded. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"On the contrary I do know what I'm doing," Sephiroth said calmly. "I'm ridding the world of traitors like you."

(cue One Winged Angel [the original version])

Sephiroth turned and grabbed the metal casing. With one tug, he had detached it from the cables. Oil was flying out of the mouth and eye sockets. Sephiroth threw aside to marvel at what was behind it.

A grotesque humanoid creature was floating in a pool of green Mako. Its eyes were glowing red. An inscription on its helmet revealed it to be named Jenova.

"So this is my mother, last of the Cetra," Sephiroth said.

Sephiroth felt a whoosh of air on his neck. He didn't need to look to know that it was Zack's Buster Sword, aimed at his neck.

"Looks like I'll have to teach another lesson," Sephiroth snarled.

Sephiroth drew his sword quickly and swung at Zack. Zack blocked the blow with his sword, the two colliding in a shower of sparks. Zack tried a jump attack, but Sephiroth leaped high in the air to avoid it. The sword came crashing down, damaging the floor. Without a moment to spare, Zack followed Sephiroth's actions and jumped also. He made it to Sephiroth's height and the two quickly traded blows. When they hit the ground, the swords clashed. Both SOLDIER's were giving it their all.

"I won't let you win," Zack grunted.

Sephiroth did not reply. Zack lost the clash and was thrown into one of the guard rails, almost falling in the reactor.

"It seems like I already have," Sephiroth said.

He turned back towards the tank. He put his hands on it.

"Your almost free Mother," Sephiroth said. "You won't have to wait for your revenge any longer."

The glass cracked. Sephiroth could see a bloody sword that had cut through his abdomen.

"I admired you," someone said. "I thought you were a hero. I dreamed to be like you!"

"Dreams, agh, will only let you down, Cloud," Sephiroth said.

He fell on the ground, not moving. Cloud believed that he was dead, and went to go check on Tifa, not noticing Zack. He bent over her broken form, praying that she wasn't dead.

"Is that you Cloud?" Tifa asked.

Cloud smiled in happiness. "Yes, Tifa. Its me."

"You remembered the promise we made," Tifa said. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," Cloud replied.

He propped her up so that she wasn't lying on the ground.

"There you go," Cloud said. "I'm gonna try to go get help."

"Wait, there's something I have to tell you first," Tifa said.

"What is it?" Cloud asked.

She gathered the strength the sit up completely, and kissed him. It wasn't a very long one, about 3 seconds, but to them it was an eternity. When they broke apart, Tifa fell asleep against the railings, a pleasant smile on her face. Cloud was blushing hard, the tingling feeling left behind the kiss was still on his lips. The tingle was gone, though, when he was impaled from behind.

"Your trick worked well on me, so I thought that it would have a similar effect on you," Sephiroth said.

"I thought I killed you," Cloud said.

"You'll find that its hard to kill someone like me," Sephiroth said.

Sephiroth pulled the sword over the reactor.

"I hope that you enjoy your trip down," Sephiroth laughed.

"I will never die," Cloud said.

He gripped the sword and pushed himself on it further. Sephiroth gasped. He pulled himself closer until he was close to Sephiroth. Cloud then pulled the sword from out of him and threw it and Sephiroth into the reactor below. Cloud collapsed on the ground, blacking out when he fell back.

**And here is the end of this story. I really hoped that you enjoyed and as always, leave a review and tell me what you thought. When you're done with that, check out some of my other stories.**


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